Before winter arrives, you will want to make sure your pond and filtering system are clean to ensure good water quality throughout the winter months. With the arrival of fall, it is wise to do a partial water change to remove any built up contaminants to improve water quality. Partial water changes need to be made before water temperatures fall below 60 degrees to minimize fish stress. Adding pond salt at this time will improve the slime coat of fish, helping them ward off disease and parasites. A cup of non-iodized salt can be added to your pond per 100 gallons of water. For example, if your pond is 500 gallons, you would add 5 cups of non-iodized salt, which you can buy locally.
Before the leaves begin to fall, cover your pond with one of our pond nets. The goal is to try and keep the pond as clean as possible for the winter months. Leaves will sink to the bottom of the pond and rot, causing excess carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. After the first frost, take out any floating plants, as these will begin to decay. Trim back hardy lilies and bog plants, followed by placing them below the freeze line.
Use Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep. This will help break down organic material in the pond before winter sets in. Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep helps accelerate the decomposition of leaves, scum, sediment and other organic matter during the fall and throughout the winter months. Also, Microbe-Lift Autumn/Winter Prep helps to maintain a healthy immune system for your fish during the winter months as well as jump-starting your pond to a healthier environment in the spring.
Reduce your fish feeding as the water temperatures drop below 60 degrees. Start feeding your fish a couple times a week. We recommend switching to a wheat germ based fish food, formulated for fall and spring feeding. When water temperatures drop below 60 degrees, the metabolism of your fish begin to slow down. Both Lilyblooms Spring/Fall and Microbe-Lift Cold Weather fish food are highly digestible cool weather diets that are made with less protein, but contain wheat germ, which is easily digested. They also contain higher levels of fat, which help your fish survive their winter hibernation. When water temperatures reach 50 degrees, stop feeding your fish completely. Feeding at water temperatures below 50 degrees can possibly kill your fish. A pond thermometer will help you monitor your pond's water temperature.
Adding Microbe-Lift Barley Straw Extract will help control string algae throughout the fall and winter months. Barley Straw Extract is an effective and eco-friendly way to reduce algae. Unlike algaecides, which are ineffective in water temperatures below 50 degrees, Microbe-Lift Barley Straw Extract will continue to control algae throughout the winter months.
Before freezing temperatures begin, install a pond de-icer. Ponds covered with ice do not allow toxic gases to escape, causing fish loss. A pond de-icer will keep a section of your pond open to allow oxygen and gas exchange.
Removing snow from the surface of the pond during the winter will help submerged plants and microscopic aquatic plants to continue to produce oxygen, as long as light penetrates through the ice. Insufficient light, along with the decomposition of plant and leaf debris may result in depleted oxygen levels for the fish, causing them to suffocate. Removing the snow from a portion of your surface area will reduce the likelihood of this occurring.